TIME MANAGEMENT:
SAVE TIME, SAVE ENERGY.
MAKE YOUR MOMENT HAPPEN!

TIME MANAGEMENT IS A PROCESS
• Time management is the act or process of
exercising conscious control over the amount
of time spent on specific activities, especially
to increase efficiency or productivity.
• Time management may be aided by a range
of skills, tools, and techniques used to manage
time when accomplishing specific tasks,
projects and goals.

THE IMPORTANCE OF TIME MANAGEMENT
• It should go without saying as LIS professionals
that it is particularly important to manage our
time well. It seems to be the nature of the
profession that there is always something to get
done, always some item on the to-do list. When
we add all of those work related tasks to the busy
social and family lives we lead, we often find
ourselves completely burned out. On top of
exhaustion, we might find ourselves unhappy or
unfulfilled because our cramped schedule doesn’t
allow for enough relaxation or family time.

BENEFITS OF TIME MANAGEMENT
• Increased productivity
• Less stress
• Improved self-esteem
• Good work-life balance
• Prevention of panic in times of workload
• Increased confidence of fulfilling tasks
• Achievement of goals quickly and easily
• Increased efficiency in fulfilling tasks
• Achievement of greater success, dreams and visions
• Increased energy and competency to achieve success

OBSTACLES OF TIME
MANAGEMENT

Unclear objectives – It’s hard to hit a target with
your eyes closed, and it’s just as hard to
accomplish something when you aren’t exactly
clear about what you want to achieve
Disorganization – It’s easy to see when your desk
is too messy, but sometimes you have to step
back and ask yourself if you are taking an
organized approach in completing all of your
tasks

Inability to say “no” – We all want to be as helpful as
we can when others need us, but this can mean taking
time away from other priorities to do something we
may not have planned
Interruptions – Many times we are in the middle of
accomplishing something really important and the
telephone rings. These calls can not only take you
away from your task, but sometimes they interrupt
your train of thought and you can’t return to where
you were without retracing your steps

More interruptions – We all like to visit with
others, but conversations at inappropriate times
can cost us time when we have to stop what we
are doing and redirect ourselves from our plans
Periods of inactivity – As much as we think we
are busy, there are times in our day when we are
not really doing anything. Recognizing and
making use of these times can have a positive
effect on our efforts

Too many things at once – Many of our tasks are not
routines. They require concentration to detail. When
we are attempting to do too many different things at
one time, each individual task suffers as a result
Stress and fatigue – Everyone experiences stress from
time to time, and sometimes we actually operate a
little better when there is some level of stress. Too
much stress, on the other hand, causes our work to
suffer and wears us down physically and mentally.
Dealing with stress is an important part of time
management

All work and no play – Most successful people
know how to balance work and play. When
work takes over your life, you not only give
your body little time to re-energize, but you
may end up sacrificing the really important
things in life like family and friends

TIPS AND TOOLS FOR ELIMINATING
TIME THIEVES
• Using a Master Calendar
• Using a To-Do List
• Plan and Organize
• Prioritize and put first things first
• Estimate time for tasks
• Get clear instructions and be focused
• Avoid interruptions and idle-chit chat
• Always keep additional time

GOALS FOR
TIME MANAGEMENT

S = SPECIFIC
• A specific goal has a greater chance of
being accomplished.
• When thinking of your goal, consider “who
is involved,” “what you want to accomplish,”
“when you want the goal accomplished,”
“which requirements/restraints will provide
obstacles,” and “why you want to accomplish
the goal.”

M = MEASURABLE
• Establish a concrete means for measuring
the progress towards your goal. To determine
if your goal is measurable, ask the questions:
“How much?” “How many,” and “How will I
know when it is accomplished?”

A = ATTAINABLE
• Identify a goal that is most important
because then you’ll adopt an attitude and
plan proper to make sure it actually comes
true.
• Remember, reaching goals requires
thoughtful consideration and planning. Make
sure you picked a goal that you will actually
take the steps you planned out!

R = REALISTIC
• A goal must be an objective toward which
you are both willing and able to work. Making
sure the goal is realistic is up to you.
• A high goal is frequently easier to reach
than a low one because a low goal exerts low
motivational force.

T = TANGIBLE
• A goal is tangible when you can experience
it with one of your senses (taste, touch, smell,
sight, or hearing). When your goal is tangible,
you'll have a better chance of making it
specific, measurable, and attainable.

TEN STRATEGIES FOR BETTER
TIME MANAGEMENT

1. Know How You Spend Your Time
Keeping a time log is a helpful way to determine how you
are using your time. Start by recording what you are doing
for 15-minute intervals for a week or two. Evaluate the
results. Ask if you did everything that was needed;
determine which tasks require the most time; determine
the time of day when you are most productive; and analyze
where most of your time is devoted – job, family, personal,
recreation, etc. Identifying your most time-consuming tasks
and determining whether you are investing your time in the
most important activities can help you to determine a
course of action. In addition, having a good sense of the
amount of time required for routine tasks can help you be
more realistic in planning and estimating how much time is
available for other activities

2. Set Priorities
Managing your time effectively requires a distinction between what
is important and what is urgent (MacKenzie, 1990). While activities
that are both urgent and important must be done, Covey et.al.
suggests that we spend less time on activities that are not
important (regardless of their urgency) in order to gain time to
focus on activities that are not urgent but important. Focusing on
these important activities allows you to gain greater control over
your time and possibly reduce the number of important tasks that
do become urgent. One of the easiest ways to prioritize is to make a
“to do” list. Whether you need a daily, weekly or monthly list
depends on your lifestyle.. Keep in mind that your goal is not to
mark off the most items; rather you want to mark off the highest
priority items (MacKenzie, 1990). Having a prioritized “to do” list
allows you to say “no” to activities that may be interesting or
provide a sense of achievement but do not fit your basic priorities.

3. Use a Planning Tool
Time management experts recommend using a
personal planning tool to improve your
productivity. Examples of personal planning tools
include electronic planners, pocket diaries,
calendars, computer programs, wall charts, index
cards and notebooks. Writing down your tasks,
schedules, and memory joggers can free your
mind to focus on your priorities. Auditory
learners may prefer to dictate their thoughts
instead. The key is to find one planning tool that
works for you and use that tool consistently.

4. Get Organized
Most people find that disorganization results
in poor time management. Professional
organizers recommend that you first get rid of
the clutter. With the clutter gone, the next
step is to implement a system that allows you
to handle information (e.g., tasks, papers, e-
mail, etc.) less, only once, when possible.

5. Schedule Your Time Appropriately
Using your time log, you should have
determined those times during the day when
you are most productive and alert. Plan your
most challenging tasks for when you have the
most energy. Block out time for your high
priority activities first and protect that time
from interruptions. Try to limit scheduled time
to about 3/4ths of your day, leaving time for
creative activities such as planning, dreaming,
thinking, and reading.

6. Delegate: Get Help from Others
Delegation means assigning responsibility for a task to
someone else, freeing up some of your time for tasks that
require your expertise. Delegation begins by identifying
tasks that others can do and then selecting the appropriate
person(s) to do them. You need to select someone with the
appropriate skills, experience, interest, and authority
needed to accomplish the task. Be as specific as possible in
defining the task and your expectations, but allow the
person some freedom to personalize the task. Occasionally
check to determine how well the person is progressing and
to provide any assistance, being careful not to take over the
responsibility. Finally, don’t forget to reward the person for
a job well done or make suggestions for improvements if
needed. (Dodd and Sundheim, 2005)

7. Stop Procrastinating
You may be putting off tasks for a variety of
reasons. Perhaps the task seems overwhelming
or unpleasant. Try breaking down the task into
smaller segments that require less time
commitment and result in specific, realistic
deadlines. If you’re having trouble getting started,
you may need to complete a preparatory task
such as collecting materials or organizing your
notes. Also, try building in a reward system as you
complete each small segment of the task.